A Twin's Promise
by Fandom Flicker
Summary: Max and Phoebe are kidnapped at age six and returned ten years later. But they are different. The twins won't let each other out of their sight; and the Superhero League is breathing down the twins' necks, expecting them to turn evil at the flick of a wrist. A Thunderman AU (I do not own the characters/show)
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

Max and Phoebe are six when they are taken. Six years old when they aren't allowed to go home. Six years old when their parents are not allowed to find them. They are six years old when they realize the only family they have now is each other.

* * *

Hank and Barb's children are six when they are taken - and they aren't allowed to do anything.

"If Max and Phoebe are as powerful as their reports say, they will come home." The president of the Superhero League tells them; and they are angry.

"They are our children!" Barb screeches and the superhero league nods. "We know. But Max and Phoebe are twins; they are powerful together. Go ahead, and go home. Wait for the children."

They allow three searches over the course of three years (then, Hank and Barb have Billy.)

"You've got another superhero child who needs _you_. Not a person who's caught up with finding other children." The president says, giving them meaningfully looks.

So, they decided to move. They had Nora and Chloe after Billy; and they left Metroburg. Maybe if they'd realized that their twins would come back, they'd stay.

But, instead, they moved away. And that was okay - because they had three children they needed to take care of. And they did take care of their still-there children.

But then the twins come back. And things begin to get _weird_.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_

There's a flash of light, and the girl sitting the chair couldn't be older than sixteen. Someone moves around the outskirt of the girl's light and she snaps her head around. She's panicking, breathing harshly, and there's a machine that is beeping fast.

She's gripping the chair's arms. "No, no, no!" She screams, eyes widening as the person outside her light moves in. "Ah, ah, ah," the man purrs. He cups her chin and brings her head upwards. "Powers," the man taps his finger against the side of his head.

The girl's screaming. She doesn't like it. But the man - the _monster_ \- loves it. It's a game to him; and he loves every second of it. He loves the girl's fear, and he loves the way she scrambles backwards when it's her turn to play.

He grabs her face, squishing her. _"Powers!"_ He hisses as her screams cut off. He releases her after a moment before smiling. "Good job. Now," he says sitting in front of her crisscross. "Bring me the tablet." The girl's eyes fill with tears, but the man just smiles.

"If you do it, we'll let your brother go early."

He knows that she will do whatever he says - especially with her brother in the other room.

* * *

It's the boy that worries the woman. He's crazy, unpredictable, and smart. She sits in front of him, eyes narrowed in concentration. "You're blocking me," she hisses as he stares straight ahead with not a word.

"That's not smart, _boy_." She says. The boy says nothing, head staring upward, not looking at her. She sighs. "I'll tell you another story of the Thunder Twins." She says. The boy's eyes look down briefly before flashing back.

"That got your attention didn't it? Anyway, if you just answer me, then we'll even let your sister go early." The boy jerked slightly. "I promise," the woman lies through her teeth and the boy knows. But he relaxes and the woman's smile turns shark-like.

She closes her eyes, smile on her face, and the boy begins screaming.

* * *

Barb and Hank Thunderman are grateful for having three other children. They are. They swear it. But Billy, Nora, and Chloe see things differently. Two days per year, they hear their father crying. On the same two days.

March twenty-second and July sixteenth.

Their mother cries every day at night when she thinks that her children are asleep and can't hear her. And their three kids want to know why.

But they can't know.

Becuase Superhero League's Rule 3,456 states: _None of the Thunderman children are allowed to know about their older siblings._

And how can they not follow the superhero rules?


	3. Chapter 2

**I'm back! I've got a little clearing up. Max and Phoebe are sixteen years old, and they are the same age when they go back home. I made it different, and the Thunder Twins get out.**

 **Here's a little more detailed summary: There was kidnapping all over; but they'd never thought their children would get kidnapped. The others were babies and sweethearts and didn't know or remember their real parents; but Max and Phoebe do. They remember everything. So why did the kidnappers take their kids? Why was it Hank and Barb's? Why wasn't it someone else?**

* * *

The girl shifted in her seat, fingers trying to work her telekinesis and telepathy.

 _Maxie? You okay?_ She asks working to bring the tablet closer to the guy. She has to pretend, in order to survive. If he gets bored, it isn't a good thing. Especially when they are both bored.

 _I'm okay, Pheebs. You know how things are._ Phoebe could picture Max's fake smile.

 _Don't lie to me, Max. We're going to get out. Don't worry._ Phoebe tried to soothe. Max's eyes shifted downward, and Phoebe let out a huge sob.

 _I know. We're the Thunder Twins. We can do anything._ Phoebe wanted to smile, but she didn't. Instead, she withdrew from Max's mind; and the woman practically threw herself in after Max opened his mind.

They aren't dumb. They know things. Things that even their captures don't know. (They just tell the twins to call them "Mother" and "Father"). The twins know what they're trying to do. They want the twins to be loyal to them; for them to love their captures like they love their parents.

But there's always a no, buried deep inside Max and Pheobe. They will never let their captures become their parents. The twins love their parents.

Even if they didn't come for them for ten years.

* * *

It's when they start their escape plan when Max and Phoebe remember that they don't know exactly what is going on.

Do their parents think they are dead? Are their parents dead? Do they have siblings like their mother always wished? Would their parents want them back? Could they go back? Or will Mother and Father try to get them back? It was a lot of factors to place in.

But they did it, and they figured out every single plan. If their parents didn't want them, they'd go live with their mother's uncle; if they had children, they agreed to go away. They were happy without them, so what was wrong with giving them the space?

Max pushed his fingers through his hair. "Do you think we'll get through it?" She asks him, nervous.

"Yeah," he says, grabbing her hands. "We're going to use that power; and we're going to escape. We'll go home, Pheebs. Or we'll die trying." She nods, firmly, and grips Max's hand tighter.

"For sickness or health," she says. "Swear on a twin's heart," Max says. "Twin's Promise."

A simply flick of telekinesis made the alarms start blaring, and both the twins held hands, squeezed their eyes shut, and waited. Mother came running down the hall, screaming something about "bad, bad, bad children!" and slamming against their cell door. She snarled as she realized that the children were gone.

Whirling around, she cried out "Father, Father! The children have escaped!" Father came running, hair heavily disheveled.

"What?!" He roared, flinging open the cell door. Mother's sharp eyes scanned the cell, searching for a scrap of clothing, a flicker of movement. _Anything_ to show that the children were still there. Nothing moved, except the mice scurrying in the corner. Mother screamed in outrage, eyes burning with passion for revenge. Father grabbed her by the arm.

"We can't go looking for them." He told her. "Not now. It's almost dark; they're going to have to rest soon. We've always go so hard on them they collapse from exhaustion. When we find them, we'll punish them." Father smiled cruely.

"Anything you want, sweetheart." Father purred and Mother's grimace turned into a smile. "Perhaps isolation for both. No speaking to either of them. Silence. And lashes." Mother said, walking down the steps of her stairs. "Lashes would work, couldn't they, sweetheart?" She turns to Father who nodded.

"Lashes work." They both left, talking about how they would punish the children. Meanwhile, the twins were already out of the cell and scurrying down the steps of the stairs. They slinked across the floor before scurrying to hide. Father had come back.

He turned to the cell door, slamming it shut. Phoebe quivered and Max scurried out of the way. Father flicked a cigarette into the cell, and Phoebe swallowed hard. Distantly, a bell rang and the Twins had to fight the urge to change back and go to the Hall.

The bell rang again. The twins fought.

Again. Fight.

Again. Fight.

Again. This time, the two mice ran straight into the walls, squeaking and squealing furiously. They fought themselves each step of the way, fighting to a different place.

 _Go, go, go, go, go!_ Max panted. Phoebe screamed wordlessly in her head.

* * *

 _Max thought it would be fun. Phoebe loved having adventures with her brother and they liked having fun together. Phoebe should have convinced him to stay at the party. It was okay there. The kids from school were there (not that they really wanted to be friends with them.)_

" _Let's go to the park," Max suggested and Phoebe nodded. "The park's fun," she agreed. They were walking across the street (holding hands) when they saw a white van parked right by their home. There was a woman screaming in the front seat, banging on the windows. The twins looked at each other, then raced to the woman._

" _Help me! Please! He's trying to kill me," she sobbed. The twins began using their powers to pry open the car door, before something slammed into the back of their heads._

 _Phoebe and Max saw the woman smiling, kissing a man. "We struck gold, baby!" The woman crowded. "These are superhero kids, too! Not just normal children! They're like us! Just like us!" She nuzzled the man's neck and he smiled at her. Then, everything went black._

* * *

Sitting next to her brother, Phoebe pushed her fingers through her hair. Max peeked over the bus's edge, biting his lip. Phoebe began picking at the threats on her shirt; and Max peered over the edge of the seat.

 _Do you think we're going to make it?_ Phoebe asked. Max turned to look at her, smiling gently. _We've made it to Threshmold. We'll get to them, Phoebe._ A brush of Max's mind against Phoebe's made her smile just slightly. _Together._ She told him, and Max grinned. _Together_ , he repeated. They both turned back to their seats, ready to go home.

* * *

Mother stood next to Father. Her fingers twitch.

"The children must be punished when they are naughty." She says as Father opens a door.

"Are you ready to come out, darling?" Father asks, tapping the door. A small voice calls out.

"Yes, Father. We are not naughty children anymore." The voice says and Mother smiles.

"But you are," Mother calls and the voice stops speaking.

"Yes, Mother. We are naughty children." The voice says and Father turns to Mother.

"They are ready," Mother says. Father nods grimly and turns around. Mother pulls a thin chain with a ring out and gives it to him. He turns and places it into the rusty lock that could be broken at any moment.

"Come out, children," Father murmurs. Two children step out of the room. Their eyes are dull, and their hands are limp at their sides.

"Hello, Mother. Hello, Father." They say in unison. "We're here to do your bidding. What is your wish?"

"My children." Mother touches the boy's shoulder. "Your brother and sister were very naughty. They ran away from home."

"They are naughty." The two children agree.

"Good. Now, go find them. And get them to come home." Mother says, briskly rising on her feet.

"Yes, Mother." The children agree.

Link Evilman and Simone Kickbutt each nodded, eyes dull, and walked away from Mother and Father.

* * *

Nora, Billy, and Chloe sit their parents down, days earlier. "Something's wrong." Nora said. Their parents tell them nothing is wrong, everything is good as rain. Chloe tells them not to lie to their children.

Billy says they hear their mother crying. Nora says they hear their father crying two days per year; and Chloe just wants to know what is going on.

Hank and Barb figit in their seats before Barb sighs.

"We were going to tell you when you were older," she starts and the children lean closer. "You had… older siblings." Hank says and the children pause for a moment.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Chloe cries.

"They were… kidnapped. Years earlier. The Superhero League wouldn't let us search for them. See, they were so powerful. The League thought they'd come home of their own accords and when they didn't, the League granted us a few searches. Then, we had Billy. And they told us not to search anymore. 'What's the point if you have children who need love?'." Hank swallowed hard, twisting his fingers together.

"We'd moved. Here, where you guys have to hide your powers. We didn't want a repeat of them." Barb smiled waterly. "We didn't know what to do. There was a few kidnapping a while back, but those were toddlers. Babies who didn't know any better. Our kids knew things; knew right from wrong."

The Thundermans sat together on the couch. "We'd tell you stories, but I don't think they'd really help." Hank said, rubbing Billy's head.

A knock on the door made everyone turn to it. Hank got up, and opened the door. Two people were standing on the other side.

* * *

 **That is all I've got for right now.**

 **Peace out, my faithful readers.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey, guys. I'm not dead as you can see. *deep bow* I've just gotten into a lot of different fandoms. It's very ncie of you guys to favorite and comment and things on my stories and my page. *Blushes* It's nice, to know that even if I'm not updating regularly that it's still being told and said and corrected, you know? It's a warm, fuzzy feeling that I love! Anyway, enjoy the story, and don't forget to review. Reviews make me want to update more, you know?**

* * *

It was their neighbors. They were looking at the family with an unimpressed look on their face.

"We've heard some noise from over here and saw your rabbit escaped," the teenage girl states, pushing a rabbit into Hank's arms. Hank stared at the rabbit with a neutral look, before nodding at the girl and woman.

"Thank you. We don't even know how he keeps getting out of his cage." With a smile, the neighbors walked away and Hank closed the door.

"Darn!" The rabbit cried, squirming in Hank's arm. Barb sighs and pulls out the cage from the closet.

"Colosso, you know you can't escape." Nora said, rolling her eyes.

"But I did! Thanks for helping me, kid!" Colosso said and Billy grinned at him.

"Billy!" Barb said and Billy shrugged. "I got ice cream out of it," he explains and Nora sighs.

"You're such a kid, Billy." She says and Billy smiles at her. She turns to Colosso and looks him over in his cage.

"Kids," Hank said keeping Colosso's cage near him. "Your siblings," he closed his eyes. "Your siblings were suppose to get Colosso, before… they were… kidnapped." Barb closed her eyes slightly. The kids looked at each other.

"Dad, it's okay." Nora says, touching her father's shoulder. "You don't need to explain anything to us."

"No, no. You deserve the truth. The rules need to be broken every once in awhile." Barb says, clutching Hank's hand.

"It was their sixth birthday party," Hank starts. His eyes are closed and he seems to be reliving it. "Your mother and I were getting ready to let them open their presents. They'd had a bunch of people other - some friends, some not - and they'd left the party. We didn't even notice they were gone. We gave cake to everyone, and ice cream; and we were waiting for them to finish. They must have snuck off, and we didn't notice." Hank swallowed.

"We realized they were gone after we'd called them a few times." Barb continued. "Usually they are very good at coming to us when asked, but they didn't. So, we knew something was wrong. We'd organized a search party, but all we'd found was some blood in the street. We tested it, to make sure it was ours. It was Phoebe's." Barb began wringing her hands and the three kids looked at each other with nervous faces.

"The Superhero League wouldn't let us search for them. 'If they're powerful enough, then'll come home'." Hank remarked dryly. "But when the first year passed, they allowed us one search party. We'd searched for days on end until the League found us and told us to stop. The next year, they set a limit on how long we can search. We didn't find them that year. We'd had another chance the next year, but they'd only allowed three other superheroes to come with us; and gave us a time limit of four hours. We didn't find them." Hank's eyes were wet, and Barb's hands looking like they were wringing a neck.

"We moved here," Hank started, then paused. Barb took over.

"We moved here because we didn't want anything happening to you guys. We missed our oldest babies; but we'd gotten another one. So, we wanted to keep you guys safe. But we also wanted to have another search party. But they told us that Billy needed us. Parents. Not people thinking of the past."

Barb's eyes filled with tears. "And now… it's been ten years. Max and Phoebe are probably dead, and we'd done nothing!" Barb buried her face into Hank's shoulder and began to sob.

* * *

"They moved?" Max asked in disbelief. (They'd known it was bound to happen, they planned for it, but this? Right here? Max isn't buying it.)

"Yes," the woman says, and Phoebe hears children screaming in delight inside. "It was years ago. When their…" She tapped her chin. "When their thi- first child was born." The woman smiled slightly.

"When their third child was born?" Phoebe asks. The woman's eyes narrow.

"When their first child was born." She hissed quietly. "Listen, I don't know who you are, or what you want with the Thundermans. I'm just saying, don't." The woman rubs her eyes and sighs.

"I don't know where you'd came from, but the Superhero League banned all talk of the Thunder Twins. So, don't go looking for the Thundermans." She turns and closes the door, and Max turns to his sister.

"Aren't they something?" He jokes and Phoebe smiled wryly.

We have to find where they moved to. Phoebe sends to her brother and he nods. "We'd better go to the library. They've got archives of all newspapers, we'll be able to find Mom and Dad." Phoebe nods and they set off together.

* * *

"Did you hear?" Margaret Long was listening to her mother's conversation with her father when she heard it.

"The Thunder Twins, they've gone missing." Margaret's mother made a sympathetic noise. "Apparently, they left their birthday party, and got kidnapped. They found blood in the streets that matched the girl's. They're pretty sure she's dead, but the brother's alive." Margaret clapped her hands over her mouth, muffling the noise.

"Remember those toddler kidnappings a few years ago? They think that those kidnappers are back. It's the same MO. Blood in the streets, toddler gone. Pretty soon a body is going to show up."

"They never found the toddler's body."

"Didn't mean they didn't bury it good enough, Sarah." Her father turned and stretched. "I'm glad our kids didn't get mixed up in them leaving the party. What kind of parents would let their kids leave their birthday party?"

"They didn't know, Harold. They just had two kids. Barb's exhausted, Hank's going crazy. I don't blame them for not paying enough attention. I blame them for not telling their kids not to leave." Margaret felt tears prick at her eyes and she held them back.

"They never found the toddlers. They aren't going to find the twins. They're as good as dead." Margaret fled.

At school, when her classmates asked her what's wrong, she tells them the Thunder Twins are gone - good as dead.

"Apparently, they didn't find these toddlers and the Thunder Twins are as good as dead." Margaret says before closing herself off. (The rest of the kids follow her lead. They mourn the loss of their classmates.)

The children mourn the loss of the Thunder Twins' powers, as well. They could have done well in the world; but it was too late. They mourn the loss of their people. They have a funeral the next day at school. (Everyone brought something the Twins had given them.) and they buried it into the dirt next to the school. Margaret used her powers to lift the dirt and they placed things in there.

Jesse uses his powers to make a big stone, and Kelly uses her powers to engrave the stones.

"Here lies the memories of the Thunder Twins. They were taken out too soon in this world, and we hope they are happy in Heaven.

-Signed, the Thunder Twins Classmates."

They all have a moment of silence for the twins before they went back inside. The teachers tried to take away their memorial.

"The twins aren't dead," the teachers lie, and take away the rock.

The rock is back the next day. It goes that way for years before the teachers realize that the Twins' classmates aren't going to give up. (Also, Margaret buries the stone deep into the earth, and Jesse make the rock big and long so they can't dig it up.)

* * *

Margaret rubs her eyes. She is remembering too much. She knows the rock is still there, after the Thundermans moved the teachers didn't seem to try to get it out of the ground. She's laying on the ground on her front lawn when two shadows block her sunlight. She opens her eyes to see two people staring down at her.

"Er… hello?" She asks. The girl has long, long chocolate brown hair. (It's in a braid, and it goes down to her waist.) The girl has intense brown eyes, too, and she's staring at Margaret like she's going to attack. The boy has the same eyes as the girl's but his hair is short.

"Are you Margaret?" The boy asks and Margaret gets up, rolling her blanket up.

"Yeah," she says and the girl nods. "I'm Phoebe, this is Max." The boy - Max - states and Margaret pauses.

"No," she hisses. "You're not Phoebe. Or Max. This isn't funny." Margaret folds her arms across her chest. "It's not cool. Come out, Kelly! It's not funny! Where'd you even find them, though? They look so much like Phoebe and Max, you know, if they were still alive. And sixteen." Margaret walked around the twins-look-alike, studying them.

"Where are they?" Margaret said. "This isn't funny, David! None of this is funny! The twins are dead, remember? Dead!" Margaret turns to the two people who aren't Phoebe or Max. "I'm not playing this game," she declares before slamming her fist into the ground. The earth swallows the two people and the girl cries out. The boy thrashes in his spot and Margaret turns around.

"I don't play with people that try to impersonate dead people. It's wrong." Margaret snarls before she goes in search of her friends to chew them out.

* * *

Phoebe is screaming. Max can hear her. What do we do? What do we do? What happened to Margaret? She was always so open. What happened, what happened, what happened?

Phoebe! Max shouts. Calm down! We'll just shapeshift, okay? We'll teleport. We'll do something. We can get out of this. We're superheros.

Max felt Phoebe's calmness like an ocean. It felt cool, and comforting. Just like their mother, when she wasn't screaming at them. We never tried teleporting without touching. Phoebe points out.

Max wriggles his fingers around. They aren't as held down as the rest of him. (Margaret was never the perfect "control all powers" type of person.) He pushes with his telekinesis towards the dirt next to him. The dirt cracks and crumbles and Max places three fingers through the hole he's created. Phoebe laces hers with his and they begin concentrating.

With a quick movement, they are out of the ground. The earth swallows the people-shaped holes in the ground in one quick swoop before it eased back into itself. Phoebe and Max both touch the ground, giving thanks that their teleportation worked.

Then, they began their journey again.

* * *

"Have you found them." Link asks Simone who is sitting with her eyes closed.

"No," Simone says with gritted teeth. "And, perhaps, if you weren't asking every five seconds I would be able to, brother." She says mockingly, eyes opening to stare into Link's.

"Don't mock, sister. It isn't good on you." Link says before turning away and Simone wants to scream. She wants to fight! But those two, dumb kids are gone and Mother decided that Simone and Link must go to get them back. Why? Why was it always them?

Link sits next to Simone, and wraps his arms around her. "It's okay," he murmurs quietly.

"No, it's not!" Simone screeches. "Why are we always chosen to get them? Why us? Why not Hera? Or Lucas? Why us?"

"To prove our loyalty." Link says, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"We'd already proven it. When we went after Cherry and forced her back to them." Simone sobs. "Why can't they just let us go? Like they did to Kelly?"

Link sighs. "They killed Kelly," he said, lips barely moving. Simone's crying paused.

"What?"

"They killed Kelly."

"Why?"

"They said they couldn't convert her. That she was too superhero-like."

"But. If… If they killed Kelly for being a superhero. What will they do to…?"

"I don't know."

"Link…"

"I can't say."

"Link!"

"Damn it, Simone! They'll kill them! Just like they did to Kevin when he'd escaped and David brought him back. Can't you see? We can't. We can't disobey them, Simone. Look. Look at the destruction they'd wrought on us. On them."

"But. Link. We're… we can fight back." Simone said, clutching Link's hands tightly.

"Find them, Simone." Link says. "Find them, and let's bring them back to Mother and Father. Let them deal with it. Maybe they'll even let us see our parents."

Simone nods, before turning away. "Let's do it." She says with reserved confidence.

* * *

Mother is staring at a picture of her children. She's turning it over in her hands and pursing her lips.

"Just another Kelly," she tells Father. He turns to her and blinks.

"Who?"

"The girl. She planned this." Mother snarls.

"Why not the boy?"

"He's so sweet, Father. Just look at him." Mother says, pushing the picture of the smiling boy at him. "He'd never, ever, do this to us."

"You're right, darling. Like always." Father says, gently taking the picture. (The boy planned it, he's sure of it. But Mother is always so slow on the uptake.)

"We should have left her on the road! Should have never brought her home. Just look at what she'd done to my obident boy!" Mother howls and Father brushes her hair out of her eyes.

"When we find them," he starts and Mother's eyes narrow. "We'll punish her, accordingly," Father continues and Mother smiles. "Perhaps Kelly's punishment?" She purrs at him, and he blinks. Swallows. Looks away.

"That was… severe, Mother. And she had to be hidden away for a very, very long time. Do you think the twins can stand to be apart? Remember last time we'd tried?"

Mother rolled her eyes. "That was years ago. How were we supposed to know superhero twins aren't suppose to leave each other's presence for more than ten minutes? Plus, they're older now. They can be taken away from each other." Father touches Mother's shoulder.

"We might use up all of our resources," he warns and Mother pushes his arm away.

"We'll get more," she says.

"More? Mother, we'd be out of it. For good."

"Father. Don't forget who has the say. We'll make more."

"Out of what? You know what the recipe acquires. We'd have to wait years to even get a shipping of Hould."

"Then we'll call Lori, get her to speed up the process."

"Lori could lose her job. We set her free to help us, not hurt us!"

"Then, get Oliver to cover for her. Dear lord, Father, can't you see the reasons? If we use our resources on the Thunder girl, we'd be unstoppable. And, wherever she goes, the boy twin is sure to follow. After all, what's the Thunder Twins if they aren't together?"

Father watched Mother throw back her head, and laugh deeply. He loved that laugh, fell in love with it. He stroked Mother's cheek gently before kissing her. "Alright." He says as he turned away.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"Call the children. See if they have anything for us."

"Yes, Mother."

Mother watched as Father walked away and gently sat down at her chess game. She moved a pawn to another spot, and watched, fascinated, as another pawn took the first one.

"My, my." She murmurs. "The tide is changing."

She turns her head to glance at the grounds below her. Children stumble back and forth, attempting to reach a certain spot.

"Who is trying to change?" She says, snatching the chess piece. All the children stop moving and Mother purses her lips. "Perhaps you are just… pretending." Mother's fingers wrapped out the chess piece as she slowly crushed it.

Mother watched the cracks appear in the pawn's face before it shatters. Splinters sink into her flesh, but she doesn't notice. She watches as one of her children fall to the ground, gasping for air and crying for help.

The other children move to get her up. (That rebellious child is gone. No longer allowed to be here. If only that worked on the Thunder Twins.)

Mother continues to watch the children.

* * *

Margaret's fingers hurt from banging on her friend's door. Kelly opens the door, face breaking into a wide grin. "I didn't know you were coming by," she says, grabbing Margaret's hand and kissing it. Margaret jerks her hand back angrily.

"What'd you send those kids to my house?" She demands. Kelly blinks at Margaret, confusion on her face.

"Kids?"

"Yeah! 'Kids'!" Margaret growls. Kelly blinks again.

"I'd never sent any kids to your house," she says. "Neither has David, or Jesse, before you ask. Jesse's away on a road trip, remember? David's been here with me all day, before you ask."

"Show me David."

"Yo, Dave!"

"What?"

"Come here!"

David comes running into the room, all long legs and scrawny form. "'Sup, Marg?" He says as a way of greeting and Margaret grits her teeth.

"Did you send two kids to my house?"

"What? Why would I do that?"

"I don't know, Dave. Because you're you?"

"Well, why didn't you ask the kids?"

"They don't know anything. I'd thought you'd be more… well aware of them if you'd sent them. The girl acted like she actually knew me, and the boy acted so protective of her. Like they'd been through hell and back."

"You don't think…?"

"Oh, god."

* * *

When they'd gotten back to Margaret's home, there was nothing there. The lawn was smooth, and there was no sign of the twins anywhere. Instead, a paper fluttered in the breeze and two birds cried out in unison before taking off from the trees. Margaret screamed in rage, and the earth trembled.

"Margaret!" Her mother called and Margaret took a deep breath. The earth's trembling stopped and Margaret thought she'd heard a whimper. David was suddenly there, pressing the paper into Margaret's hands.

Dear Margaret,

What happened to you? You'd used to be so sweet. Was it us? Did we force you this way? Was it us going missing? We didn't mean to hurt anyone. Honest. I'd thought… you'd be able to help us track down our parents - since you'd organized the stone at the elementary school. (Thank you for that, but we're not dead.)

I don't blame you for lashing out. But touch Phoebe ( and Max) one more time, and I'll rip your bed and throw it out the window. (I'll rip out your books and shove them down your throat.)

Signed,

The Thunder Twins

Margaret's fingers twitched and Kelly pressed against Margaret's wrist. "What does it say?" She peered over her shoulder and paled.

"Wh-"

"They've been changed." David said suddenly. He was watching the two birds loop through the air, looking nervous. Like they'd done something and was waiting for someone.

"The kidnappers changed them. They've got power. Lots of it."

"David, what a-"

"Can't you feel it?" He whispered, moving his arms sluggishly through the air.

The girls fell silent. The air crackled with electricity and it felt like they could just lean forward, just a smidge, and they'd absorb the powers.

"Kelly!" David screamed, grabbing her. She swayed on her feet for a moment, mouth opened in total bliss before she crumbled.

"Kelly? Oh my gosh!" Margaret scrambled to get to her best friend's side. Kelly stayed motionless, and Margaret checked her breathing, heartbeat, and head. She seemed fine. Why is she like this, then? Margaret thought before turning to her home.

"Mama!" Margaret screamed, tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. "Mama, Kelly's hurt! Mama, help us! Mommy, please!" (She hasn't called her mother 'mama' or 'mommy' in years. Maybe that's why her mother came barreling out the house with her powers in front of her.)

When she saw what was happened, she screamed. "Call nine-one-one!" She ordered David who pulled out his cell phone and dialed. "Margaret," her mother turned to her. "Margaret, go inside. David, you too. Wait for me, and don't come out until I say so."

"I want to stay with Kelly," Margaret said shaking her head. "Get her inside, David." Sarah ordered using her powers. David nodded, like an obedient soldier before grabbing Margaret and yanking her away to the house, Margaret screaming all the way.


	5. Chapter 4

**I ain't dead, and I ain't gone for nothin'. Anyway, we get some more information, we've got an explanation for Kelly's break. HAHAHAHAHAHAH**

 **We have good things. Or, maybe not. How do I know? I'm just the writer... mawahahahahahaAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Thundermans, nor evil laugh. :( I want an evil laugh.**

* * *

Phoebe and Max, they aren't bad people. Their powers can just… be too much for some other people. Those… people did things to their powers, something that made it irresistible to people. It only lasts a few minutes, but it's always there. It shimmers in the air, and if people just inhale it, even for a moment they get drunk on the power. It's nothing that most people - adults - can't handle. But the girl who'd collapsed was a teenager.

 _Will she be alright?_ Phoebe wonders. _Probably._ Max replies. _Will… will we find Mom and Dad?_

Max is quiet, for a moment, before saying _I don't know._

* * *

Mother and Father are sitting, side-by-side, listening to the play by play that Simone is giving to them. "They entered the town around 6 o'clock, night time and found a place to hide. After, around 8 o'clock in the m-" Mother covered the receiver and turned to Father.

"That's the time we'd ingrained in them to get up," she whispered excitedly. "If they are still going by our time, then they must still be under our control. They must think it's a game. Oh, poor poor children!" She said, cooing. Father's eyes stayed glued onto Mother's and he shook his head.

She scowled, but took her hand off the receiver. "-rl collapsed because of a 'power-insurance'. She's in a medically induced coma in order to help her heal. The doctors say she'll have one hell of a headache when she gets out of the coma - he says they'll take her off around six o'clock tomorrow."

Mother nodded, before saying good-bye and hanging up. She turns to Father, and tilts her head. "You don't think our babies are submissive?"

"No."

"Why?"

"They left."

"They thought we'd be proud."

"No, they _didn't_."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Mother, you must stop."

"What do you mean?"

"These children… they slander our good reputation. They place anger, and hatred into our other children's heart. Why do we continue going after them?"

Mother was quiet for a moment. "They are our _children_!" She shrieks. Father gently pushes Mother down. "These are not our children, Mother, remember? We'd…"

"No! See?! That is Mackenzie! And that, that boy, is Luke! And, and the girl, the black girl is Olivia; and the boy is… the boy is… Wally! Remember, Father? Remember our children?"

Father gently pets Mother's head. "Mother," he starts softly. "Mackenzie is gone. Luke has left. Olivia is white. Wally doesn't have brown hair."

"They are teenagers!" Mother shrieks. "They are rebelling and it's our duty as parents to help them!"

"M-"

"Oh, Father. Darling. Please don't go insane on me now. We've got much to do. Our duties as parents are not over. Please don't make me take you out of the picture, Father." Mother's voice grew taut and angry as she continued.

"Of course not, Mother," Father says smoothly. "I'm just worried our children and you don't realize the true potential. They can do more as Phoebe and Max Thunderman, then they'd be able to do as Mackenzie and Luke Westler."

"They can't be both," Mother said the truth dawning upon her.

"Yes," Father said.

"But… they aren't. They aren't ready to be Max and Phoebe."

"Perhaps not. But we can use them to our advantage. Let's say… let Olivia and Wally find them. And let them observe."

"But… Olivia and Wally are ready?"

"Perhaps."

"Then it's time to send them home."

* * *

Link and Simone blink as the phone rings.

"Mother," Link answers.

"Children," Mother cooes. "It's time for the next mission."

"Mother we haven't finished this one." Simone says.

"There will be plenty of time for that, later." Father says. Simone glances over at Link. She mouths ' _Plenty of time?'_ Link shrugs.

"It's time for you to go back to your adoptive mother, children." Simone blinks at the disgust in Mother's voice.

"Adoptive?" Simone asks.

"The ones who gave birth to you, but didn't raise you. Adoptive. Oh, Olivia. I thought you were the smart one."

Simone bits her lip. Link's is already bleeding. "I… I don't think that is what adoptive mother is." Father says.

"Oh! Silly me! I meant surrogate mother. I always get those confused. Anyway, come home, darlings. We're going to prep you quickly for your returning roles."

* * *

Hank's in bed when Barb gets in and snuggles into his side.

"Do you think they're alive?" Barb asks, voice void of emotions.

"I don't know." Hank says, looking at the window, staring at the stars.

"I don't know."


End file.
